[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 161 (2015), Part 11]
[Senate]
[Page 14833]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




          RECOGNIZING THE JUDGE PORTER HOUSE BED AND BREAKFAST

 Mr. VITTER. Mr. President, Louisianians are committed to 
preserving the traditions that make us profoundly unique as a State and 
as a nation. This is especially true in the Louisiana Purchase's oldest 
city Natchitoches, LA, home to Small Business of the Week, the Judge 
Porter House Bed and Breakfast.
  Nestled in the Cane River National Heritage Area, the Judge Porter 
House Bed and Breakfast offers a unique experience to its guests. Built 
in 1912, the establishment originally served as the home of ``Judge'' 
Thomas Fitzgerald Porter and his wife, Wilhelmina. While not an actual 
judge, judge Porter was a prominent figure who worked at the parish 
courthouse, and during the course of his life, he enjoyed the honorary 
title. Over the next few decades, the home was sold to various families 
who contributed to the effort of restoring the property to its original 
state. By 1987, while in the care of Mark Rachal and his wife, Sharon, 
they remodeled the interior and revamped the landscaping for the home's 
grand reopening in 1996 as a part of the Natchitoches Historic 
Foundation's Annual Fall Pilgrimage.
  Today, under the management and care of Charles LaCaze, Jr., the 
3,000-square-foot property incorporates many turn-of-the-century 
architectural elements throughout its five guest rooms, two parlors, 
and the Queen Anne-style gallery that wraps around the house. Each 
year, the Judge Porter House Bed and Breakfast hosts guests from around 
the Nation. Located in downtown Natchitoches, LA, visitors can walk to 
various local restaurants and shops, as well as visit nearby national 
parks and fish hatcheries after enjoying a traditional southern-style 
breakfast.
  Congratulations to Judge Porter Bed and Breakfast for being selected 
as Small Business of the Week. Thank you for your commitment to the 
preservation of Louisiana's rich history.

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